Refrigerator car construction



Oct. 17, 1939. Q 5. JQHNSTON 2,176,425

REFRIGERATR CAR CONSTRUCTION,

Filed April l2, 1938 9 Sheets-Sheet l l QQZ +3 ,2li 23 Oct. 17, 1939.

c. s. JoHNsToN 2,176,425

REFRIGERATOR CAR CONSTRUCTION Filed April l2, 1938 9 Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct. 17, '1939. c, s, JQHNSTQN 2,176,425

REFRIGERATOR CAR COS TRUCTION Filed April 12, 1938 9 Sheets-Sheet 5 Lavemor' asian Oct. 17, 1939. c. s. JoHNsToN REFRIGERATOR CAR CONSTRUCTION Filed April l2, 1938 9 Sheets-Sheet 4 Nm. www A, NNN w., www. www Nwwmw... Y n 1 f A/ M/ M N Oum. www qm; WW QW QW Oct. 17, 19439.l c. s. JOHNSTON REFRIGERATOR CAR CONSTRUCTION Filed April l2, 1938 9 Sheets-Sheet 5 C. S. JOHNSTON REFRIGERATOR CAR CONSTRUCTION Oct. 17, 1939.

Filed April 12, 1938 9 Sheets-Sheet 6 Oct. 17, 1939. c. s. JOHNSTON 2,176,425

REFRIGERATOR CAR CONSTRUCTION Filed April l2, 1938 9 Sheets-Sheet 7 JM@ aim Oct. 17, 1939. s, JQHNSTQN 2,176,425

REFRIGERATOR CAR CONSTRUCT ION Filed April l2, 1938 9 Sheets-Sheet 8 W- II//% Oct 17, 1939- c. s. JOHNSTON I REFRIGERATOR CAR CONSTRUCTION Filed April l2, 1938 9 Sheets-Sheet 9 WNW Patented Oct. 17, 1939 PATENT OFFICE REFRIGERATOR CAR CONSTRUCTION Charles S. Johnston, Glencoe, Ill., assignor to Transportation Specialties Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application April 12, 1938, Serial No. 201,568

11 Claims.

The present invention relates to refrigerator cars, and is particularly concerned with the provision of an improved construction for ice bunkers of refrigerator cars for the purpose of facil- 51v itating half-stage icing or for locating the grates at one or more different elevations in the ice chamber.

, In transporting perishable products in railway refrigerator cars there are certain products for lili.; Which a fullice capacity is not desirable or necessary to keep the cargo in the best condition. Full ice capacity is also undesirable on a short haul, and even on a long haul, when the perishable load has been properly precooled, because 15;; it is then expensive and unnecessary to carry thefull amount of ice in the bunkers.

One of the best ways to reduce the ice capacity of a refrigerator car is to raise the grates of the ice bunkerto a position approximating one-half the capacity of the ice bunker, thereby effecting a saving in the icing bills, since only one-half the amount of ice can be applied to the bunkers.

If the grates are not raised, invariably at the re-icing stations the bunkers are filled to the top by unskilled employees, and the shipper is charged for a full tank of ice when only a half tank was required. v There are also times when a load of perishable products requires as much ice as can be loaded 3o. into the ice bunkers to carry the load safely to its destination without re-icing, and for this purpose it is important that the ice bunker be capable of receiving a full load of ice, that the air passages be unobstructed, and that there be no obstruc- 35, tions in the ice bunker to interfere with the proper loading of the ice.

, Ordinarily, when a refrigerator car is being iced, large cakes of ice are broken into chucks and dropped through the hatches into the ice bunk- 40 ers. These chunks do not fill the ice bunkers solid, as there is no way of controlling the 1ocation of the chunks or packing them closely together.

However, whenever a maximum amount of ice 45 is desired, the procedure is to drop the full cakes of ice into the bunkers and stack them in place by hand. By using full ice cakes and loading them properly, the amount of ice carried in the 50 ice bunkers can be increased from the approximate usual ten thousand pound load to approximately twelve thousand or thirteen thousand pounds. This increase in ice capacity and the loading of cake ice can be accomplished only when 55 there are no obstructions in the ice bunkers, as

(Cl. (i2-19) the ice bunkers are of such dimensions as to receive standard size ice cakes.

The half icing arrangements of the prior art are accompanied by obstructions secured to the bulkhead side and to the end wall of the ice bunker in such manner that they are a hindrance to the proper loading of cake ice.

One of the objects of the present invention is the provision of an improved ice bunker construction adapted for half icing, in which all of the fittings are enclosed or flush with the inner surface of the ice bunker so that there are no obstructions in the ice bunker to hinder the proper loading of cake ice.

Another object is the provision of an improved support for half stage ice grates, Which Will not interfere with full cake ice loading.

Another object is the provision of an improved form of securing device for half icing grates which may be moved into a position where it is outsideof the ice bunker Wall and inside the bulkhead wall when the grate is lifted and moved to its folded position.

Another object is the provision of an improved half icing arrangement for refrigerator cars, which may be constructed more economically than the devices of the prior art by reason of the fact that vonly one set of grates is employed, the same grates being used in the usual position or in the elevated position.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved half icing arrangement for refrigerator cars, the grates of which are adapted to be located in place by means of the customary car sealing arrangements so as to make the ice chamber pilier-proof.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, in which similar characters of reference indicate similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings, of which there are nine sheets,

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary sectional view, taken through a refrigerator car on a vertical plane parallel to the bulkhead, showing the bulkhead and securing devices for supporting the grates in a refrigerator car constructed according to the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary elevational View of an ice chamber, looking from the bulkhead toward the end Wall of the car, constructed according to the present invention, with the grates in the upper or half-stage icing position;

Fig. 3 is a vertical elevational view, taken on the plane of the line 3 3 of Fig. 1, looking 1in the direction of the arrows, with the grates in the elevated position;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional View, taken on the plane of the line 4 4 of Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view, taken on the plane of the line 5 5 of Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows, showing the details of construction of the lower grate support;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional View, taken on the plane of the line 6 6 of Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows, showing the details of construction of the supporting mechanism for the grate in the half stage icing position at the right of Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional View, taken on the plane of the line of Fig. 6, looking in the direction of the arrows, showing the grate supporting fixture in its two positions;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary Vertical sectional View, taken on the plane of the line 8 8 of Fig. 4, looking in the direction of the arrows, showing the grate supporting fixture, which is applied to the end wall -of the car;

' Fig. l9 is a fragmentary vertical sectional View, taken on the plane of the line 9 9 of Fig. 8, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of the grate supporting xture, which is used at the corner of the car, taken on the plane of the line |D of Fig. 4, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 11 includes a top plan view of the fixture of Fig. 10 and is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view, taken on the same plane as Fig. 4, of the upper left hand corner of Fig. 4, on an enlarged scale;

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view, taken on the plane of the line |2 |2 of Fig. 8, looking vin the direction of the arrows; 'l

Fig. 13 is a vertical sectional view, taken on the plane of the line |3 |3 of Fig. 8, looking inthe direction of the arrows;

Fig. 14 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view, taken on vthe plane of the line |4 |4 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 15 is a fragmentary elevational view of a modified form of grate-supporting device for the center grate, by means of which the grates can be locked in place with a car seal;

Fig. 16 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view` taken on the plane of the line ,|6 6 of Fig. 15;

Fig. 17 is va, fragmentary sectional View similar to Fig. 16, but taken from the opposite side, showing the roperation of the device for locking an ice` pan in position; and

Fig'. 18 is a fragmentary elevational View, taken from the right end of Fig. 17.

Referring to Figs. 1-3, the present half icing arrangements may be installed in refrigerator cars of various types of construction, and the construction of the car illustrated is one of the preferred forms. 20 indicates the refrigerator car, at each end of which there is an ice chamber or ice bunker 2| formed in the car by means of a bulkhead 22.

The car floor is indicated by the numeral 23, the ceiling 24, the end wall 25, and the side walls (Fig. 4) 26 and 21. The car walls, iioor, and ceiling are, of course, provided with the customary insulation, and the hatchway 28 is provided with an insulated cover, the car having four hatchways. The bulkhead 22 preferably consists of a plurality of U,shaped channels 29 and a plurality foff steel panels 30, leach of the steel panels hav- `short of the legs 35 of the bulkhead, whichlegs are formed by the flanges 3|, 32, and channels 29, thus leaving ventilation spaces 36 below the bulkhead. The bulkhead is also provided with ventilation openings 31 at the top of the body 39, and preferably provided with ventilation openings 38 throughout rthe body 30, and the openings are in the form of circular holes.

The other three sides of the ice chamber are formed by providing furring strips 39 which extend vertically of the car wall on the sheath 40 at regularly spaced points, and screening 4| is secured to the furring strips 39 to complete the other three sides of the bunker. The screening 4| of wire permits access of the air to ice at all sides of the ice in the chamber. The bulkhead 22 is, of course, secured to the ceiling 24, the

side walls 26 and 2l, and its legs 35 may be se-V cured to the oor or, as shown in Fig. 3, provided with a diagonal frame member 42, which extends over to the end wall 25 to transmit the thrust from the bulkhead 22 to the sill ofthe car. The insulation of the car and ice chamber may be housed between the sheathing 49 and the sheathing 43 (Fig. 4) on all of the sides and top and bottom of the refrigerator car.

rThe grates 44, which support the ice, may consist of a plurality of sheet metal pans, such as pressed steel, each of which is rectangular in shape, as shown in Fig. 4; but preferably provided with rounded corners, and which has a at body 45 provided with an upwardly projecting border Yflange 46. Y

The flat body 45 may have a pair of longitudinally extending pressed ribs 41, and is preferably provided with a multiplicity of holes 48, which permit the drippings to leak out and permit the access of air to the ice from the bottom. The ribs 4T preferably extend longitudinally, since they reinforcethe ice pan 44 as a beam, the ice pan 'being supported at each of its ends.

Referring to Fig. 3, the present ice chambers need only-be provided with one set of ice grates or`pans'44, the grates being of such size that when placed side by side, as shown in Fig. 4, they entirely cover the bottom area of the ice bunker. They are preferably supported at each end upon a channelled supporting member 49, 55, each of which'has a lower horizontally extending flange 5|, a vertically extending fiange52, and an upper retaining ange 53. n

The lower iiange 5| supports the weight, and the vertically extending flange 52 is of sufficient length so that it permits the border flange 46 of the ice grates to be received between the flanges 5|, 53. The retaining fiange 53 over-hangs the ice pans and retains these ice pans in place.

- Referring to Fig.` 5, it will be noted that the retaining flange 53 stops at 54 and at 55 and does not extend over the center ice pan, which is indicated by the numeral 44a. 'I'hus the Center ice pan 44a may be lifted at one end and removed from its supporting anges 5|, and thereafter the other ice pans may be slid to that central posidepression E5 l, E2.

tion in order Athat they may be removed. The channelled grate supporting members 48 and 5U are secured to the end wall 25 and to the bulkhead 22 by any convenient fastening means, such as by bolts, or by welding to the bulkhead.

Referring to Fig. 3, the grate 44 is shown in dotted lines at the bottom, indicating that this is an alternative position of the grate, the grate actually being located in that figure in the halfstage icing position, substantially midway between the top and bottom of the ice chamber.

It should beunderstood that the present invention may be embodied in ice chambersv in which there are several or a plurality of diiferent positions for the ice grate 44 at, for example, onefourth the distance from the bottom, one-third the distance from the bottom, and half the distance from the bottom, or usual location ofthe ice grate.

The ice chamber 2| is provided, as `shown in Fig. 3, with movable means 56, 51, the former being carried by the bulkhead 22,.and the latter being carried by the end wall 25, for supporting the grate 44 in the half-stage icing position. These movable means are preferably so constructed that they may be moved into the grate holding position of Fig. 3, or they may be moved into a position where they are practically housed or concealed within the wall or bulkhead, so that there are no projections within the ice chamber when the supporting means 5E, 51 are not being used to support the grate.

Referring to Figs. 6 and 7, Fig. 6 is a full size illustration of the supporting means 55 for the grate 44, which means are used on the bulkhead adjacent the side walls 26, 21. This supporting means may take the form of a metal casting 5U, which is formed at each end with a cup shaped The cup shaped depressions are joined by reinforcing flanges 63, 84, which are provided with suflicient body at a central point 55 to form bearings 56, 51 for a shaft 68.

The cup shaped depressions 6I, 62 are provided with centrally located bores 69, 10 for passing the screw bolts 1 I, 12. These cup shaped depressions are in substantial alignment of and substantially the same size as the apertures 13, 14, which are two specially selected apertures of the multiplicity of holes 38 in the bulkhead body. Each aperture 13, 14 is provided with a cupshaped washer 15, which are of the same size and shape, so that only one of them need be described.

The cup shaped washer 15 has a cylindrical wall 18, which fits in the aperture 13 and has a `radially extending flange 11 which engages the bulkhead body inside the ice chamber. It has an end wall 18, which is provided with an aperture 19 registering with the aperture 69.

The cup shaped washer 15 may be received in the cup shaped formation 8 I, but is preferably not quite as deep as the cup 6|, so as to provide a clearance 80. The screw bolts 1l have heads, which are substantially received in the cup washers 15, so as to leave no projections inside of the ice chamber, the slight thickness of the retaining flanges 11 being so small as to be unnoticeable.v

When a cup shaped washer 15 is placed inan aperture 13 and the bolt 1l is placed through the washer and through the bore 69 of the fixture 58, it will be observed that the bulkhead body 3@ is clamped between the washer 15 and the xture @8 by means of the head and nut of screw bolt 1l. Thus the fixture 68 and other similar fixtures may be xedly securedto the bulkhead wall or body 38, without having any substantial projections on the inside of the ice chamber.

The xture 60 is provided with a centrally located rectangular aperture Sa, and the body 38 of the bulkhead panel is connected at 8l to form a similar rectangular aperture. The shaft 53 carries a grate supporting member 82, which is provided with a hub 83, upwardly and downwardly'extending arms 84, 85, and upper and lower forwardly extending arms 86, 81 having reference to the full line positions of Figs. 6 and '1. The hub 83 has a transversely extending bore 88 for receiving the shaft 68, to which it may be secured by a transversely extending rivet pin 89.

The flanges 86 and 81 may be reinforced by vertically extending flanges 90 and 9| (Fig. '7), and the flange 81 comprises the main support for one corner of an ice pan 44. The flange 85 comprises a retaining iiange and engaging above the ice pan and preventing it from moving upward out of its proper position.

The lower edge 92 of the reinforcing flange 9i forms a stop surface, which engages the lower edge 93 of the aperture 80 in the tting @il to support the supporting member in the full line position of Fig. 7. The supporting member 82 may, however, be rotated with the shaft 68 backward, or in a clockwise direction in Fig. '1, to the dotted line position in which the backward edge 94 of the upper reinforcing flange 98 engages the stop 95 on the fitting 6U, at the lower side of the rectangular aperture 80 to hold the supporting member 82 in the inoperative position.

It will be observed that both of the arms 8'3 and 81 extend laterally of the axis 96 of shaft 68 in Fig. 7 in both positions, so that the supporting member 82 is retained by gravity in the full line position of Fig. '1, or in the dotted line position of Fig. 7.

When it is in the .dotted line position, it is wholly to the right of the bulkhead panel body 38 and outside of the ice chamber. When it is in the full line or left position of Fig. 7, it is in position to support a portion of the grate 44.

Referring to Fig. l, it will be noted that the supporting member 82, which has been described, is at the right side of the figure, adjacent the side wall 21. The shaft 88 extends parallel to the steel body 3B of the bulkhead, and is also secured to another supporting member 82a of similar construction, but carried by another fitting adjacent the bulkhead channels 29. Thus two supporting members 82 and 82a of similar construction are xedly secured to the same shaft 68 to rotate with it, as they both support the same ice pan and are always used simultaneously.

The fitting 60a (Fig. l) which carries the supporting member 82a, may be exactly similar in construction to the fitting 80, previously de scribed, and so may all of the other fittings and supporting members, which are carried by the bulkhead 22.

'I'he ice pans are preferably made as wide as the panel bodies 38 between the bulkhead legs 35, and thus there will be, for example, iive ice pans when there are five panels in the bulkhead. Two such retaining members 82 on each bulkhead panel may be used for supporting each end of each ice pan 44, and the supporting members 82 are preferably located adjacent the corners of the ice pan.

The supporting members 82d and 82e, which are carried by the central panel of the bulkhead 22, are of different construction because the upper retaining arm or flange 86 has been omitted therefrom in order to permit the removal of the central ice pan by lifting it up from the lower supporting arm or flange '81.

This may be accomplished by utilizing the same casting and merely cutting off the :upper arms 89 for the supporting members used on this central ice pan, or special castings for these supporting members may be constructed as shown in Fig. 14.

Referring to Fig. 4, it will be observed that the end wall 25 is also provided with similar supporting means 82 for Athe ice pans 44 located at each of the adjacent corners of the ice vpans and carried by the furring or spacing strips 39. As these strips 39 are made of lumber, a different form of fitting is provided for carrying the supporting members 82 on this end wall.

Referring to Figs. 10 and l1 in this case, it will be observed that a tting |00 is shown in full size, which corresponds to that one .in the upper right hand corner of Fig. 4. Fitting |00 has a body |0| which may in some respects be quite similar to that of the fitting r60, previously described. It has a centrally located rectangular aperture, which is bordered by a reinforcing flange |02, which is bordered by a reinforcing flange |03 and by a radially extending flange |04.

These two flanges are both thickened to provide a hub at |05 and |06, which has a bore at |01 and |08 for receiving the stub shaft |09. The supporting member 82 may be identical in construction to that previously described except that each supporting member 82 has its separate shaft |09, to which it is secured by rivet 89. The fitting |00 also differs in its mode of supporting and attachment, as it is provided with a laterally extending retaining ange H0, which engages the inside of the spacing strip 39, and with -outwardly. extending flanges and ||2 which engage the sides ||3 and AH4 of the lumber strip 39.

The flanges H0, |i|, and ||2are reinforced by ribs H5, ||-0 at the top and bottom (Fig. 10),

and flange |0 is provided with a pair of bolt apertures lil, ||8. Bolts |I9, |20 pass through these apertures in the attaching flange |||0 and through the lumber strip 39, the bolts having their heads countersunk at |2|. Thus the xture 00 may be secured to the lumber strip- 39 by means of bolts H9, |20, and the screening 4| may be cut away at |22 to provide a Suitable rectangular aperture around the fitting |00, or at least around the movable supporting member 32. In this case the supporting member 82 may be moved out of the ice chamber or into the ice chamber exactly as described with respect to Figf?, except that each supporting member used at the corner of the car is mounted upon a separate shaft.

Referring yto Figs. 8, 9, 12 and 13, these are full sized detail views showing the construction of a grate supporting member which is carried `rby one of the lumber strips 39 that is not located at a corner. In this case the construction of the supporting fitting |25 (Fig. 8) is similar in construction to the fitting |00 of Fig. 1l, except the fitting |25 is a doublev one, having two bodies provided with apertures |02 and carrying supporting members 82 all mounted upon one attaching flange |26 centrally located between the twoapertures |02. The two pivotally mounted supporting members 82 are also both mounted upon one shaft |21 so -that -they-rotate simultaneously,

and the attaching ange |20 is bordered by upper .and lower reinforcing ribs 12,8, but provided with a central cut-out |29. The furring strip 39 is again gripped on both sides by flanges and |;|2.and the screening ,4| is provided with an enlarged aperture |30 to receive'the reinforcing ,rib :|03 of this double fitting.

The operation of the pivotal supporting members 82 in this case is the same as those previously described, except that the two supporting members 82 on each side of the furring strip 39 move together into operative or inoperative position.

It will be observedfrom Fig. 4 that each of the furring strips 39 is provided with a pair of the fittings A|25 intermediate the car walls 20 and 2l. Thus each of the ice pans 44 is provided with a support at each of its four corners, and all of these supports are capable of being moved into position in the ice chamber, as shown in Fig. 4, or to the dotted line positions of Fig. 9, or Fig. '7.

Referring to Figs. 12 and 13, it will be observed that the furring strips 39 are gained or slotted at |3| so that the fitting |25 is recessed into the furring strips 39 and the innermost edge |32 of the fitting |25 is flush with the inner'surface of the screening 4|. Thus there are no projections caused by the fittings or supporting members 82 on the end wall of the car. When the supporting members 82 in Fig. 13 or Fig. 9 are pivoted backward to the dotted line position of Fig. 9, the end of the lower arm 8l engages the sheathing 43 and the ice chamber is substantially free of any obstructions.

The method of handling my ice grating and half stage icing arrangement is as follows: When the ice bunker is to be filled with ice in the usual way, that is, for full stage icing, the ice grate44 isloc-ated in the dotted line position of Fig. 3, and of course there is no grate 44 at the full line position,.as shown, because only one grate is provided for each ice chamber. All of the pivotal supporting members 82 are then pivoted back into their recesses in the car wall or bulkhead and the ice chamber is fre of obstructions, and may be packed vfull of the blocks of ice, which are of such a size that they substantially t into the ice chamber.

`There is no possibility of the ice blocks catching on'projecting ledges or the like, as may occur in the devices of the prior art, and no trouble caused by the present arrangements for supporting half stage icing grates because the supporting members are moved out of the ice chamber.

When it is desired to arrange the grate for half stage icing, the central ice pan 44 is first lifted upward from the dotted line position of Fig. 3 to remove it from its lower position. All of the pivotal supporting members B2 may then be moved over from the dotted line positions of Fig. 9 or Fig. '7 into the full line positions of Fig. 9 and Fig. 7, and the first ice pan may be laid upon the central supporting members, as shown in Figs. 13 and 14, and slid laterally into the spaces between the arms or flanges 86, 8l of the other supporting members 82.

The rest of the grates may be moved laterally from the dotted line position of Fig. 3 and Fig. 5 to the central position of 44a, where they are removed, and then placed on the supporting members 82 of Figs. 13 and 14 at the half stage icing level. Each ice pan 44 is then moved laterally until all are placed, except the central one, which is-merely laid in position, as shown lio in Figs. 13 and 14. 'Ihus all of the ice pans 44 may be supported in the half stage icing position of Fig. 3 (full lines) or in the full stage icing position of Fig. 3 (dotted lines).

Only one4 set of ice pans need be provided for each ice chamber or bunker, and this effects a great economy over the devices of the prior art, of which two complete grates are required. Furthermore, it is not necessary to cut into the screening to provide a space for a pivotally mounted half stage icing grate, as in some of the devices of the prior art,` and the present half stage icing arrangement may be installed with a minimum amount of change in the refrigerator car.

Referring to Figs. 15 to 18, these are fragmentary elevational views showing a modified form of grate-supporting and locking device, which may be used for the centrally located ice pan to make the arrangement pilier-proof.

In this embodiment the fixtures 200 may be secured to the bulkhead panel in the same manvner as described with respect to the previous fixtures. Each fixture 200 is of the same shape and provided with the same centrally located rectangular aperture 20| adjacent which the panel of the bulkhead has been removed to make a rectangular aperture through that portion of the metal of the bulkhead.

Fixtures of the type 200 are applied to the Vbulkhead in position to engage the corners of the central ice pan, and, since both of the supporting and securing devices for this ice pan are usually operated at the same time, two fixtures '200 may rotatably support a single supporting shaft 202;

The grate-supporting member 203 (Fig. 17) may comprise a cast metal member which is formed with an apertured horizontal flange 24, a hub 205, which is mounted on the shaft 202, and an upwardly extending arm 2|3.

The flange 204 supports the ice pan M when the supporting member 23 is in the position of Fig. 17. In this position its clockwise rotation is prevented by the engagement of the reinforcing flange 205 with one or two stop lugs 201 carried by the fixture 200.

The hub 205 is preferably formed in two parts 208, 29, with a slot 2l between these parts so that a `locking member 2H may be rotatably mounted on the shaft 202 in the slot 210.

The loc-king member 2H comprises a hub provided with a bearing for the shaft 202 and an upwardly extending arm provided with an overhangingv hook 212. The hook` is of suflicient length and properly located so that it engages abovethe border flange of the ice pan 44 when thearm is in the position of Fig. 17.

The arm 2l3 and the locking member 2H are providedwith a pair of registering oblong apertures 2 Ill of sufficient size to pass the metal strip of tin or other metal of which the car seal 215 is composed.A Y

The supporting member 203 may be rotated into the position of Fig. 17 by means of shaft 202 to support the ice pan 4G, and the ice pan may be placed upon it. Thereafter the locking member 2| l may be moved over into the position of Fig. 17 to engage above the ice pan 44 and be locked in plac-e with a car seal 2l5.

The locking member 2H preferably has a stop projection Zi which engages the stop surface 2H on the supporting member 203 when the locking member is pivoted to the dotted line position of Fig. 17 with the ice pan unlocked.

Both thelockingr member 2l l k'and the supporting member 203 may be pivoted backward into the bulkhead wall in the manner of the devices previously described, so that the wall of the ice l chamber is substantially free of any obstruc- K tions when the parts are in that position.

It will be observed that the present half stage icing grate arrangement may be locked in place and sealed with the car seal in such manner as Ato make the car pilier-proof. The close proXim-'v ity to the top and bottom of the ice pan of the over-hanging arm 86 and the supporting arm 8l of the ordinary supporting arrangements for this half stage icing grate prevent rotation of these ice panv has been first removed, and all ofl the ice pans are thus locked in position by locking one of the ice pans.

One of the most important features of the invention is the support of the half stage icing grate at intermediate positions between the top and the bottom of the ice bunker by means of devices which form no obstructions in the ice chamber, when the half stage icing grate has been removed and placed in the full stage icing position.

While I have illustratedva preferred embodiment of my invention, many modivcations may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and I do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of all changes within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. In a refrigerator car, the combination of a car having insulated side walls, end walls, floor, and ceiling, with an ice bunker formed by a bulkhead located at a point spaced from one end of the car, said ice chamber having a removable ice grate adapted to be supported at an intermediate position between the top and the bottom lof the bulkhead, and means for supporting said ice grate, comprising a plurality of members carried by the walls of said ice bunker, said members being pivotally mounted on the bunker walls and being movable into grate supporting position or into a position where said members are recessed in the bunker walls.

2. In a refrigerator car, the combination of a car having insulated side walls, end walls, floor, and ceiling, with an ice bunker formed by a bulkhead located at a point spaced from onev end of the car, said ice chamber having a removable ice grate adapted to be supported at an intermediate position between the top and the bottom of the bulkhead, and means for supporting said ice grate, comprising a plurality of members carried by the walls of said ice bunker, said members being pivotally mounted on the bunker walls and being movable into grate supporting position or into a position where said members are recessed in the bunker walls, said members being provided with substantially horizontally extending supporting arms for engaging under the grate when the members are in grate supporting position.

3. In a refrigerator car, the combination of a car having insulated side walls, end walls, floor, and ceiling, with an ice bunker formed by a bulkhead located at a pointV spaced from one end of the car, said ice chamber having a removable ice grate adapted to be supported at an. intermediateposition between the top and the bottom of the bulkhead, and means for supporting said ice grate, comprising a plurality of members carried by the Walls of said ice bunker, said members being pivotally mounted on the bunker Walls and being movable into grate supporting position or into a position Where said members are recessed in the bunker walls, said members being provided with substantially horizontally extending supporting arms for engaging under the grate Whenthe members are in grate supporting position, and a predetermined number of said members being provided With upper retaining arms for retaining the grates against upward movement when the members are in grate supporting position.

4. In a refrigerator car, the combination of a, car having insulated side Walls, end Walls, floor and ceiling, with an ice bunker formed by a bulkhead located at a point spaced from one end of the car and provided With an ice grate, said bulkhead having ventilation spaces on all sides of the ice chamber, said bunker being provided with means for supporting the grate adjacent the bottom of the bunker and with movable means for supporting the same grate at an intermediate position.

l 5. In a refrigerator car, the combination. of a car having insulated side Walls, end Walls, fioor and ceiling, with an ic'e bunker formed by a bulkhead located at a point spaced from one end of the car and provided with an ice grate, said bulkhead having ventilation spacesl on ally sides of the ice chamber, said .bunker being provided With means for supportingthe grate adjacent the bottom of the bunker and with movable means for supporting the same grate atan intermediate position, said movable means comprising a plurality of members carried by the ice bunker Walls and pivotally mounted thereon to move into operative and inoperative grate supporting positions.

A 6.y In a refrigerator car, the combination of a car having insulated side Walls, end walls, floor and ceiling, with an ice bunker formed by abulkhead located at a point spaced from one end of the car and provided With an ice grate, said bulkhead having ventilation spaces on all sides of the ice chamber, said bunker being provided with means for supporting the grate adjacent the bottom of the bunker and with movable means for supporting the same grate at an intermediate position, said movable means comprising a plurality of members carried by the ice bunker Walls and pivotally mounted thereon to move into operative and inoperative grate supporting positions, the said inoperative position of said members being a position in which the members are recessed in the Walls of the ice bunker to prevent obstructions on the inner vvallof the ice bunker.

'7. In a refrigerator car, the combination of a car having insulated side Walls, end Walls, floor bunker, said latter means being movable into av position recessed in the ice bunker wallsv When full stage icing is employed. f Y

8. In a grate supporting member adapted to be secured to a refrigerator wall, the combination ceiving rsecuring means passing thtrough said flange and through a. Wooden member on said wall, with a pair of flanges for engaging the sides of said Wooden membensaid supporting member `being provided with a pair of pivotally mounted bodies carried by a shaft, and having bearings for said shaft, and said bodies being plvotally movable into two positions, said bodies having grate supporting arms which are horizontally located in one position and which are adapted to be moved back behind lsaid supporting flange in the other position.

9. In a grate supporting member adapted to be secured to a refrigerator Wall, theV combination of a supporting ange having apertures for receiving securing means passing through said fiange and through a Wooden member on said Wall, with a pair of flanges for engaging the sides of said Wooden member, the said v,supporting member being provided With a pair of pivotally mounted bodies carried by a shaft, and having bearings for said shaft, said bodies being pivotally movable into tWo positions, said bodies having grate supporting arms which are horizontally l located in one position and which are adapted to be moved back behind said supporting flange in the other position, said pivotally mounted bodies also being provided With horizontal retaining flanges spaced from said horizontal supporting flanges.

10. In a refrigerator car grate supporting member, the combination of a fixture adapted to be secured to an ice bunker Wall, with a shaft pivotally mounted thereon, and a grate supporting member carried by said shaft, said grate sup- .15 of a supporting flange having apertures forre- 

